The Bacolod City business one-stop-shop (BOSS) permits processing system for the renewal of business permits will start today until January 20 at the Bacolod Government Center, Stela Rose Rayos, Permits and Licensing Division head, said.

Rayos said taxpayers who pay within this period can avail of a 10 percent discount. If the renewal period is not extended after January 20, they will be charged 25 percent as penalty.

The processing of business permits this year will be faster because they are now fully automated and have made the procedure easier, she said.

Rayos said they have also classified the processing of business permit between those who have permits and those without permits.

“We have simplified the processing of business permits since all the taxpayers have to present is their 2018 business permit and barangay business clearance,” she said.

Before, they were required to get application forms from the Permits and Licensing Office and proceed to their barangay to secure barangay business clearance before having them encoded at the Permits and Licensing Division, Rayos said.

But now, if they have their 2018 business permit, they can go directly to the barangay and present their permit and can have them encoded.

Rayos said the offices of the City Environment and Natural Resources, Zoning, Assessment, and Permits will be at the lobby of the BGC, while the Bureau of Fire Protection, City Health Office, and the Office of the Building Official will be at the Annex building.

She said they issued 17,210 permits in 2018.

“For 2017, we had a total business registration of 22,004 and now we have 23,177, or an increase of 5.33 percent,” Rayos said.

Ayala Malls has contributed to the increase since it has about 2,000 tenants, she added.

Meanwhile, Rayos said the Permits and Licensing Division closed five establishments in Bacolod last month for operating without business permits, out of the 10 it had earlier recommended for closure.

She added they are waiting for the action of the City Legal Office against these five establishments.

She said it is the obligation of business establishments to secure permits from the city.*